Fire fighting airplane



July 21, 1959 s. G. Pom-IAS FIRE FIGHTING AIRPLANE Filed Sept. 22, 19567 Wi/V741. .fam/rif v50/F7441,

2,895,693` FIGHTING AI'RPLANE Socrates G. Portias, Los Angeles, Calif.Application september z2, 1956, seal No. 535,818

Claims.` (ci. 244-136) This invention relates to a fire ghting airplanefor use particularly on forest and brush fires, and where a fire usuallycovers a considerable area and primarily Aalong a rather definite line.

An object of my invention is to so construct an' airplane that aplurality of water filled bags can be mounted within the bomb bay, sothat'the bags maybe readily released and dropped from 'above into the reon the ground.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel fire fightingairplane in which the water filled Ybags are formed of a breakablematerial which willreadily tear, break, or shatter on impact with theground so that the water therein will be spilled over a considerablearea.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel fire fightingairplane of the character stated, in which the water filled bags areformed of a waterproof paper, the paper bag being positioned within anet for theA purpose of externally reinforcing the bag. Also thisnettingl may be impregnated within the material of the bag wall for thepurpose of reinforcing the same.

Still another object is to provide a novel means of rapidly filling thevarious bags positioned within the bomb hay of the airplane.

Still another object is to provide a novel fire fighting airplane of thecharacter stated, in which the water yfilled bags are mounted in a novelmannerand may be released either manually or automatically as might befound to be most expedient. i i f Other'objects, ladvantages andfeaturesof' invention may appear from the accompanying drawing," the subjoineddetailed description and theappended claims.

v In the drawing: l

Figure l is a top plan view of an airplane embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the bag mountingand releasing mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates anairplane of any satisfactory type, which includes a bomb bay 2. 'Ihebomb bay 2 is any suitable enclosure within the fuselage of the airplaneand provided with suitable openings or doors 3 3 at the bot-tom whichcan be opened by the pilot to permit the water filled bags within thebomb bay to be dropped, as will be subsequently described. The operationof the openings or doors 3-3 is usual and well known and the details ofthis actuating mechanism forms no part of this invention. Positionedwithin the bomb bay 2 is a manifold 4 formed of suitable pipe andextending substantially the entire length of the bomb bay. The manifold4 is fixedly mounted within the bomb bay in a suitable manner, so thatit will support the considerable weight of a plurality of breakable bagsfilled with water and which may be hung therefrom. A plurality of spacednozzles 5 extend from the manifold 4 and the upper open end of a bag 6is fitted over the nozzle 5 with a slip fit. The

fice

bags 6 are each formed of a breakable, tearable, 'of shatterablematerial which is waterproof and will, there; fore, contain aconsiderable quantity of water. The bags 6 are all filled when theairplane is on the ground and all ofthe bags on the manifold aresimultaneously filled with water from the filling system subsequentlydescribed.y

To increase the strength of the wall of the bag it may be enclosed in anet or netting material 7 which Willca'y the load of the water thereinduring the transportation period, and will still permit -therbag to tearor break on impact with the ground and permit the water contents toscatter over a considerable area. The bags 6 are each supported on anozzle 5 by means of a hook 8 which is mounted or formed on the nozzle.The bag may be provided with a rope loop 9 which ts over the hook 8,thus supporting the bag on the nozzle 5 and permitting the bag to bereleased either by cutting or breaking the rope 9, or by tilting thehook 8. If the hook 8 is tilted it is pivotally mounted on the nozzle 5,as shown at 10, and is formed with an upwardly projecting finger 11. Alatch 12` is pivotally mounted on the nozzle 5 adjacent the hook 8 andthis latch engages the finger l1 in one position of that finger. Thelatch 12 is pivoted to release the finger 11 and thus release the hook 8for rotation to drop the bag 6. This action of the latch 12 isaccomplished by a solenoid 13, or other electrical means to which theelectrical wires 14 extend, and a suitable control (not shown) such as aswitch or button is actuated by the operator to drop one or all of thebags 6 into the fire, as may be desired.

The bags 6 are simultaneously filled on the ground from ythe manifold 4through a pair of headers 15-16 which are preferably mounted on eachside of the bomb bay 2, and each header is provided with a fitting 17and 18' to which a hose 19 can be attached for the purpose of rapidlyfilling all of the bags 6 through the manifold`4. Afplurality ofconduits 20-21 extend from the headers 15-16, respectively, into themanifold 4, thus rapidly distributingthe water from the header into themanifold and thence into each of the dropable bags 6. When the bags 6are dropped the bomb bay doors 3 are open and any Water in the manifold4, headers 15--16, etc., will spill out through these doors. Themanifold 4 is of considerable length and to fill this manifold and allof the bags 6 attached thereto the headers 15-16 and conduits 20-21 areprovided. These'headers and conduits more effectively distribute thewater throughout the length of theI manifold.

'In operation- While the plane is landed an operator attaches a hose 19to one or both of the headers `15-16 and water is then forced throughthis hose. The Water distributes rapidly into the manifold 4. Before thewater is turned on all of the bags 6 have been positioned on a nozzle 5so that the bags are thus all filled and substantially simultaneously.The bags are all supported on a suitable loop 9 from a hook 8. Theairplane now takes off and flies over the line of the fire and anattendant or the pilot can drop bags in sequence or simultaneously byeither automatically releasing all of the hooks 8, or by releasing thehooks individually to space the bags properly along the line of fire andthus covering a large area of the fire.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold, said conduit means including a hose connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles on said manifold, a breakable water lled bagmounted on each of the nozzles, and supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon.

2. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold, said conduit means including a hose .Connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles onsaid manifold, a breakable water filled bagmounted ou each of the nozzles, and supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon, and releasing means-engaging the `supportingmeans to release a bag from said sopporting means.

3. A fire fighting airplane having a-n open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, a header on the airplane adjacent 4themanifold, conduits ,extending from the header to the manifold, a hosefitting on the header, a plurality of nozzles on said manifold, abreakable water filled bag mounted on each of the nozzles, andsupporting means on each nozzle for a bag positioned thereon.

4. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, ,a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, a header on the airplane adjacent Vthemanifold, conduits extending from the header -to the manifold, a hosefitting on the header, a plurality of nozzles on said manifold, abreakable water filled bag vmounted on each of the nozzles, andsupporting means on each nozzle for a bag positioned thereon, andreleasing means engaging the supporting means to lrelease a bag fromsaid supporting means.

5. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, `a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold, said conduit means including a hose connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles on said manifold, a breakable water filled bagmounted on each of the nozzles, and `supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon, said supporting means comprising a hook, and athong on the bag looped over the hook to support said bag.

6. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold, said conduit means includinga hose 'connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles on said manifold, a breakable water filled bagmounted on each of the nozzles, and 'supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon, said supporting means comprisinga hook, and athong on the bag looped over the hook to support said bag, said hookbeing pivotally mounted on the nozzle, latch means engaging the hook,and power operated means engaging the latch to release said latch fromthe hook.

7. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold, said conduit means including a hose connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles on said manifold, a -breakable water filled bagmounted on each of the nozzles, land supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon, each of the bags being formed of a breakablematerial, and a netting surrounding the bag and supporting the bag toprevent Vbreaking thereof prior to striking the ground.

8. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifold,positioned within 4the bay area, conduit means extending to saidmanifold,said conduit means including a hose connection thereon, aplurality of nozzles on said manifold, a breakable water filled bagmounted on each of the nozzles, and supporting means on each nozzle fora bag positioned thereon, each of the bags being formed of a breakablematerial, and a netting surrounding the bag and supporting the bag toprevent breaking thereof ,prior to striking the ground, and releasingmeans engaging the supporting means to release said supporting means anda bag from said supporting means.

9. A fire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within the bay area, a header on the airplane adjacent themanifold, conduits extending from the header to the manifold, a hosefitting on the header, a plurality of nozzles on said manifold, abreakable water ifiiled 'bag vmounted on each of the nozzles, andsupporting lmeans Aon each `nozzle for a bag ,positioned thereon, ,each'of the bags being formed of breakable material, and a nettingsurrounding the bag and supporting the jbag to prevent 'breaking thereofprior to striking 'th'e ground.

-ll0. Afire fighting airplane having an open bay area, a manifoldpositioned within-the bay area, a header on the airplane adjacent themanifold, conduits extending from the header to the manifold, a 'hosefitting fon the header, `a plurality of nozzles on said manifold, abreakable water 'filled bag :mounted on 'each of the nozzles, andsupporting imeanson each lnozzle for a bag positioned thereon, each ofthe "bags being formed of breakable materia-Land a netting -surroundingthe bag and support n'g the bag to prevent breaking thereof prior tostriking the ground, 'a 'hook being Ipivota'lly mounted on the noz-'z-le, latch means engaging the hook, and 4power means engaging lthe:latch to release said latch from Ithe hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent STATES PATENTS 1,243,556Reynolds et al Oct. 16, 1917 1,278,170 Koma sept. 1o, 191s 1,335,283Graf et al. Mar. 30, 1920 1,997,669 Arcieri Apr. 16, 1935 2,284,650Grant June 2, 1942 2,306,321 Roberts Dec. 22, 1942 VV2,359,573 ,MacKayOct. 3, 1944 ,2,362,361 Davis Nov. 7, 1944 AFL'JREIGISI PATENTS 470,442Canada Ian. 2, 1951

